Let me start today by apologizing for the lack of content for the first few weeks of the challenge, something I plan on changing for the remaining weeks.

Our goal with this site is to help provide a deeper understanding of how this way of eating can and will effect you. One of the things we have done differently with this challenge is asking you to eliminate some foods which otherwise might be deemed “acceptable”, particularly with heavy cream and butter. While cream and butter technically fall into the dairy category we generally consider them fats. However, like most foods, they effect different people different ways and you won’t know how your body handles dairy fats until you eliminate them from your diet for a period of time and then slowly reintroduce them. (We will discuss how to reintroduce questionable foods in a later post, but for the challenge they are off limits.) NOTE: You should consider keeping all dairy items out of your diet entirely if have any sort of autoimmune disorder and you should consider keeping them to a minimum if weight loss is your goal. Continue reading ‘Thanksgiving, the quest for Paleo Recipes’

In reviewing the first week’s food logs, a few things stood out. People are either not eating enough or they are not having a protein, carb, and fat with every meal. A well formed meal should include foods which come from all three categories–doing this will keep you full for 4 -5 hours. Be sure to get your carbs from vegetables or fruit, even at breakfast.

So going forward there will be a 1/2 point added if you do not have a well formed meal. This does not include snacks. And, as mentioned at the information session, we do not require that you have a prescribed number of meals but a lunch or dinner consisting of “one chicken breast” does not constitute a well balanced meal.

Have questions or need some recipe ideas?? Step 1: Email your favorite primal recipe to Lauren@Crossfiteastdecatur.com by Nov. 4th. Step 2: Join your caveman friends at CFED on Friday Nov. 5th at 7pm to strategize with teammates, discuss recipes, challenge questions and the pursuit of health. An email will be send out to everyone competing in the challenge with all recipes. This event is open to every athlete at CFED. If you are not participating in the challenge there will be a sign up sheet to receive the recipe email. **Mark your calendars for the evening of November 19th — CFED will be hosting a Primal Thanksgiving Potluck. More details to come soon**

Some of you have been down this road before and for a few of you this is an all new experience. This challenge is a much more strict challenge than what we have done in the past, so what was allowed last time may not be allowed now. A few items of note are butter, heavy cream, and most mayonnaise. The butter and cream are dairy items, and while they are the fat of the dairy, these items are a no no for this challenge. As for the mayonnaise, most store bought mayo is made with canola oil, soy bean oil, or a little of both. Believe it or not mayonnaise is not all that difficult to make here is an easy recipe. Once you try this out you can start to vary things or add some flavor like ginger or curry.

2 omega 3 enriched eggs

2 tbsps apple cider vinegar

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp paprika pepper

2 cups oil (avocado, olive, grape seed, safflower)

In a blender or food processor place all ingrediants except for the oil. Cover and blend on low for about 5 seconds. Continue to blend while you slowly and steadily add the oil. Once all the oil is in continue to blend for another 5 to 10 seconds

Please feel free to ask us about any foods.

Just a friendly reminder, your food logs need to be emailed to FoodLog@CrossFitEastDecatur.com by midnight tonight.

We have heard from some of you about how your first week went but we would like to hear from everyone. Let us know in the comments!

The teams are set a few benchmarks have already occurred with the remaining benchmarks taking place this week. The Sexy Buncha Caveman Challenge starts tomorrow and will continue for the next 8 weeks!

Here is a review of the information, you will also find it in PDF Format in the Links Section to the right.

Sexy Caveman Challenge

General Rules

Teams of 3

Team with the lowest score wins

Come to the gym 4 times a week. It is one point for each day you don’t attend

Complete a food log and submit it by Monday at midnight every week electronically to Foodlog@crossfiteastdecatur.com . It is one point everyday it is late (UPDATE***This is the preferred format and it can be found in the links section)

Complete a benchmark workout at the beginning and end of the challenge

Follow the nutritional guidelines for the full 8 weeks. It is .5 point per cheat. Yes 2 beers means 1 point.

Nutrition Guideline

Do not eat dairy. This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee or tea).

Do not eat grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa and sprouted grains.

Do not eat legumes. This includes beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter, kids.)

Do not eat white potatoes. It’s kind of arbitrary, but one, they’re a nightshade, and two, sweet potatoes and yams are a more nutrient-dense option, so go for those instead. (On that note, if you have serious inflammation issues like arthritis, you may want to consider avoiding all nightshades for 30 days.)

These are not optimal foods that we are okay with you including in moderation

Processed Meat. On occasion, we are okay with organic chicken sausage (these are nitrate, dairy, gluten and casein-free), and high quality bacon, deli meat, and jerky.

Nuts. We do not want you cracking out on nuts and nut butters, people. Sunbutter is acceptable – buy the organic (no sugar added) if possible.

Dried Fruit. In general, careful with the fruit. Use dried fruit and Larabars in serious moderation, and only if it doesn’t send you running for the nearest candy dish.

Non-”Paleo” Vegetables. We’re fine with green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas. While they’re technically a legume, they’re far more “pod” than “bean”, and we want you to eat your veggies.

Coffee and black tea. We’re okay with coffee (black, or with a little coconut milk) in moderation, and only if it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Usually, that means none after noon. If you really want to go hardcore and reset your body’s sensitivity to caffeine, skip the coffee/tea for the 30 day period as well.

Vinegar. While it’s technically not “Paleo”, we’re fine with using it in small quantities as a salad dressing or in salsa.

Salt. While some “approved” foods like olives or bacon will have some salt in them, go easy when adding salt to your food.

The Body Fat Test is coming to CFED April 28th 4 – 8 PM

ONLY $25 for CFED members.

The scale does not tell the story, hydrostatic testing is a great way to get the full picture of your body composition. Testing is quick and easy! A sign up sheet is at the gym and to receive the CFED Member discount you will need to prepay.